diff --git a/cpu/cortexm_common/Kconfig b/cpu/cortexm_common/Kconfig
index 08a66f263337..43aae181e89f 100644
--- a/cpu/cortexm_common/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/cortexm_common/Kconfig
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@ config CPU_ARCH_ARMV7_M
     bool
     select HAS_ARCH_ARM
     select HAS_ARCH_32BIT
+    select HAS_NO_IDLE_THREAD
 
 config CPU_ARCH_ARMV8_M
     bool
     select HAS_ARCH_ARM
     select HAS_ARCH_32BIT
+    select HAS_NO_IDLE_THREAD
 
 config CPU_ARCH
     default "armv6_m" if CPU_ARCH_ARMV6_M
@@ -100,3 +102,8 @@ config HAS_CORTEXM_SVC
     bool
     help
         Indicates that ARM Cortex-M Supervisor Calls are available.
+
+config HAS_NO_IDLE_THREAD
+    bool
+    help
+        Indicates that this MCU doesn't need the idle thread
diff --git a/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.features b/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.features
index 9d1d3d8f4072..5739bddbe78c 100644
--- a/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.features
+++ b/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.features
@@ -11,3 +11,8 @@ FEATURES_PROVIDED += ssp
 ifneq (,$(filter $(CPU_ARCH),cortex-m4f cortex-m7))
   FEATURES_PROVIDED += cortexm_fpu
 endif
+
+# cortex-m3 and higher don't need the idle thread
+ifneq (,$(filter cortex-m2% cortex-m4% cortex-m3% cortex-m7%,$(CPU_ARCH)))
+  FEATURES_PROVIDED += no_idle_thread
+endif
diff --git a/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.include b/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.include
index fc181b053010..2d220a8f7938 100644
--- a/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.include
@@ -31,11 +31,6 @@ LINKFLAGS += $(if $(ROM_OFFSET),$(LINKFLAGPREFIX)--defsym=_rom_offset=$(ROM_OFFS
 # FW_ROM_LEN: rom length to use for firmware linking. Allows linking only in a section of the rom.
 LINKFLAGS += $(if $(FW_ROM_LEN),$(LINKFLAGPREFIX)--defsym=_fw_rom_length=$(FW_ROM_LEN))
 
-# Cortex-M3+ doesn't need the idle thread
-ifneq (,$(filter cortex-m2% cortex-m4% cortex-m3% cortex-m7%,$(CPU_ARCH)))
-  DISABLE_MODULE += core_idle_thread
-endif
-
 # Cortex-M0+/1/3/4/7 riotboot settings
 
 # From ARMv7-M (M4, M3, M7) architecture reference manual, section B1.5.3